River Clyde

River Clyde
The River Clyde running through the city of Glasgow
Native nameAbhainn Chluaidh (Scottish Gaelic)
Location
CountryScotland
StateUnited Kingdom
Council areasSouth Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire, Glasgow, Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde, Argyll and Bute
CityGlasgow
Physical characteristics
SourceLowther Hills in South Lanarkshire
  locationSouth Lanarkshire, Scotland
  coordinates55°24′23.8″N 3°39′8.9″W / 55.406611°N 3.652472°W / 55.406611; -3.652472
MouthFirth of Clyde
  location
Tail of the Bank, between Greenock and Ardmore Point near Helensburgh, Scotland
  coordinates
55°58′12″N 4°45′15″W / 55.97000°N 4.75417°W / 55.97000; -4.75417
Length110 mi (180 km)
Basin size1,545 sq mi (4,000 km2)
Basin features
Designation
Official nameInner Clyde Estuary
Designated5 September 2000
Reference no.1036

The River Clyde (Scottish Gaelic: Abhainn Chluaidh, pronounced [ˈavɪɲ ˈxl̪ˠuəj]) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde, in the west of Scotland. It is the eighth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the second longest in Scotland after the River Tay. It runs through the city of Glasgow. The River Clyde estuary has an upper tidal limit located at the tidal weir next to Glasgow Green.

Historically, it was important to the British Empire because of its role in shipbuilding and trade. To the Romans, it was Clota, and in the early medieval Cumbric language, it was known as Clud or Clut. It was central to the Kingdom of Strathclyde (Teyrnas Ystrad Clut).